The Naked Marquis by Sally MacKenzie

Author:Sally MacKenzie [MacKenzie, Sally]
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Romance, historical, Adult, humour
ISBN: 9780821778326
Amazon: 0821778323
Goodreads: 643472
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

"Poor Lady Caroline."

Meg snorted. "You don't mean that."

Emma laughed. "No, I don't, but I feel as though I should. She did look so miserable—but all I could think of was how her face now matched her manners. She's a rather miserable young lady."

"She surely is." Meg turned to go back into her room.

"Uh, Meg?"

"Yes?"

Emma fidgeted with her skirt. "I do wonder how Queen Bess got into Lady Caroline's room—I thought the girl was rather careful to keep her door closed."

Meg shrugged. "Perhaps she forgot this time." She stepped farther into her room. Emma remained on the threshold.

"Are you having a good time, Meg? I hardly ever see you."

Meg turned to face Emma. "Emma, do you want to come in?"

"Well, yes, if you'd like me to. I do have a few minutes. It would be nice to chat. I was wondering what you've been up to. You didn't go walking with the rest of the young ladies this afternoon."

"I didn't go walking because walking sedately around the lake is boring. I have walked around that lake before and in better company."

"Better company?"

"My own. Without the nasty, brainless London misses and their idiotic escorts."

"But you are supposed to be getting some social polish, Meg."

"I don't want that kind of social polish. I know not to eat my food with my hands or talk with my mouth full. I don't need to know how to backstab and belittle."

"But. . ." Emma looked around Meg's room for the first time. She blinked. Every horizontal surface but the bed was covered with vegetation. Twigs and flowers were arranged on sheets of paper on the desk. Bits of crockery with green things lined the ledge by the window seat. An assortment of leaves covered the dressing table. "Meg."

"Don't start, Emma."

"But what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm collecting specimens, of course. I don't get over to Knightsdale often, you know. I've found a number of interesting plants here."

Emma surveyed the mess before her but decided for once that she did not want to argue with Meg. She was not Meg's mother.

Sudden tears pricked her eyes. She batted them away.

"Meg, what do you think of Mrs. Graham?"

Meg gave her a sharp look. "What do you mean?"

Emma walked over to examine the greenery by the window seat "Do you think Papa is going to marry her?"

"Probably."

"Doesn't that bother you? Doesn't it bother you that she's taking Mama's place?"

"Emma . . ." Meg clasped her hands behind her back and sighed. "Would you care to sit down?"

"I can't."

Meg looked around the room. Even the chairs were covered with twigs or leaves. "Oh, yes. I see. Sorry. Um, we could sit on the bed."

"No, I don't mean that." Emma looked at Meg. "I'm too agitated to sit."

"Ah. Well, um, the thing is, Emma, I really don't remember Mama. I wasn't even one year old when she died. You've been all the mother I've known."

"And you don't mind Mrs. Graham taking"— Emma swallowed more tears—"taking my place?"

"Emma." Meg rubbed her forehead.

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